


It's Not Too Late

by SaraJaye



Category: Hey Arnold!
Genre: Dysfunctional Family, Gen, Post-The Jungle Movie, Regret, Sibling Bonding, Sibling Love, Sisters, implied alcoholism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-26 18:34:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13863558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: Helga's growing up, and Olga wants to make things right between them.





	It's Not Too Late

**Author's Note:**

  * For [snarky_panda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarky_panda/gifts).



They didn't have much of a chance to talk on the boat, what with Helga sitting alone watching Arnold while Olga (foolishly) let herself become so infatuated with a liar. Then, during the trip proper, she found herself in charge of Helga's friends while Helga threw herself into danger. And the whole flight home, Daddy talked her ear off while Helga refused to leave Arnold's side.

She's in sixth grade now, her baby sister, and she's growing up so fast. Olga barely has time to come home anymore, and when she does, Mommy and Daddy want her to play the piano and talk about her studies and Helga keeps escaping to be with her friends. It _chafes_ Helga to be around them, any decent moments she's ever had with her sister were when their parents were busy or out of the house.

Thinking back, Olga knows she's gone overboard with the "merry sunshine daughter" business. It was always for their parents' benefit; maybe if she'd poured on the smiles, Daddy wouldn't be so grumpy and Mommy would stop drinking so many "smoothies." But it made Helga miserable, pushed her further away from them. Every family photo has her standing as far away as possible, never smiling once.

Helga's in sixth grade. She has a boyfriend, and in six months she'll be closer to the age where a girl becomes a young woman. She's already struggling with anger issues that even her therapist can't fix all at once, and therapy can still only do so much. Their home is...she hesitates to say _toxic,_ but it's not healthy.

And soon, Olga will graduate from college, get married, have a family of her own. Or a career somewhere far away. She's already in her junior year, and her time at home is becoming more and more sparse.

The last weekend in September, she comes home without telling her parents, makes reservations at a hotel, and asks Helga to meet her at the train station.

"So lemme get this straight. You took a whole weekend off from your precious studies, rescheduled a piano concerto, and you _don't_ plan to visit Big Bob and Miriam?"

"That's right!" She tries not to sound _too_ chirpy, even though she's excited. "This is _our_ weekend, Helga. Whatever you want to do!" Helga's brow furrows, but she doesn't make any move to leave. That's a start.

"So...even if I wanted you to watch me play baseball with my friends, you'd sit there for an hour or two? Or if I wanted to see the latest monster flick? And pig out on burgers?"

"Actually, yes, that sounds wonderful. I've never gotten to see one of your games, Helga, and I haven't had time to see a movie in weeks," Olga says. At least in the theaters. Olga's nights are spent studying with old movies on in the background while she nibbles at a sandwich, or in some fancy restaurant with a date. The low-budget monster movies Helga loves sound like a treat, and so does some nice, greasy fast food.

It's amazing the things you take for granted when you've been without them so long.

So she sits in the stands, cheering Helga on as she hits a home-run and leads her team to victory, watches her accept a hug from Arnold with only minimal blushing and squirming away. _Easy now, Football Head, my sister's watching!_ (If _only_ her dates would hug her, most of them are too skittish to even shake her hand at the end of the night.) She almost starts a conversation about Helga's relationship, but thinks better of it.

The monster movie Helga picks is _ridiculous._ The special effects are tacky and the acting is so over the top, and Olga loves every minute of it. She even screams when the monster eats the gardener, followed by her and Helga giggling like crazy.

They go to the local greasy-spoon for burgers and don't bother with table manners. The only people there are too busy eating to care what a couple of sisters do.

"If you were older, sister, I'd take you out for a cup of coffee," Olga says as they head to the hotel. Helga blinks.

"Just sister?"

"Well, you're hardly a baby anymore." Olga smiles sadly. "I think you've even grown an inch or two since I saw you last." Helga snorts.

" _There's_ my sappy, sentimental big sister. So that's your angle, huh? Afraid I'm growing up too fast, wanna make sure I keep some of my innocence? Bad news, Olga, I haven't had any since I was eight and figured out what Mom's _smoothies_ really were." Olga's heart aches, and she instinctively hugs her sister.

"You deserved so much better." Helga squirms, pulling away from her.

"H-hey, cut that out! It's not like my life's been _that_ bad...I got my friends, even if a lot of 'em are dopes, and...well, Arnold more than makes up for Mom being a drunk and Dad never remembering my name!" Some of the anger seems to be replaced with rationalizing, which isn't much better in Olga's book.

"In a perfect world, you would have Arnold, your friends, _and_ a better family..." She sighs. "I feel like I haven't always done right by you, Helga, that's why I'm here. That's why I didn't tell our parents I'm here." Helga looks confused for a moment, then nods.

"I think I get it."

"I just don't want us to grow apart."

"Well..." Helga rubs the back of her neck. "It _would_ be nice to have a family member I can actually _talk_ to. The closest I've ever had is Mom, and, well..."

Someday, Olga thinks, someday they'll get their mother the help she needs, and Daddy into some anger management classes. Someday, maybe she'll get them to understand that she's only human, and so is Helga. Someday, maybe they'll learn to be a functional family.

"Then let's meet like this once a month, Helga. We'll go to movies, museums, ball games, plays..."

"In other words, from now on I gotta compromise?" Helga groans.

"Museums and plays can be a lot of fun, I promise!" Olga chirps. Helga rolls her eyes, but doesn't complain any further. She's trying, Olga realizes, even though she's never blamed her for not wanting to in the past.

"Sure, why not? I mean...at least Bob and Miriam won't be able to mess it up." Helga manages a small smile. "I had fun today. So...yeah, let's do stuff like this every month. I mean, if you can make it."

"I'll make it." She doesn't care how much studying she has to miss or what obligations she has to cancel or reschedule. Helga is much more important.

She hugs her sister tightly and lets her go. Helga's going to make up some excuse about having been at Phoebe's the whole day, which Phoebe agreed to, and Olga watches her leave with a smile.

Today was only the first step, but it's a step towards not growing apart, and that's enough.


End file.
